Scientists Finally Explain Why Elephant-Poop Coffee Tastes So Smooth

Scientists from the Institute of Science Tokyo have uncovered why Black Ivory coffee, one of the world's rarest coffees, tastes smoother and less bitter than regular brews. Their research shows that bacteria living in the digestive systems of Asian elephants play a key role in shaping the coffee's unique flavor.

Black Ivory coffee is produced at a single elephant sanctuary in Thailand. Elephants are fed Arabica coffee cherries, and the beans are later collected from their dung, cleaned, and roasted. The coffee is known for its mild, chocolaty taste and low bitterness.

The researchers studied dung samples from elephants that produced Black Ivory coffee and compared them with samples from elephants at the same sanctuary that did not eat coffee cherries. They found that the coffee-fed elephants had large numbers of bacteria that break down pectin, a natural substance found in coffee beans.

Pectin normally breaks down during roasting and creates bitter-tasting compounds. However, when gut bacteria reduce the pectin content before roasting, fewer bitter compounds are formed. This helps explain why Black Ivory coffee tastes smoother than regular coffee.

"Our findings may highlight a potential molecular mechanism by which the gut microbiota of BIC elephants contributes to the flavor of BIC," says Associate Professor Takuji Yamada as he describes these exciting findings. "Further experimental validation is required to test this hypothesis, such as a biochemical analysis of coffee bean components before and after passage through the elephant's digestive tract," he adds, pointing to avenues for future research into this technique for processing coffee.

The study also found that these elephants had a more diverse mix of gut microbes, including bacteria linked to pectin digestion. Scientists believe that eating coffee cherries may help these microbes grow inside the elephant gut.

Researchers say the findings highlight how animal digestion and gut bacteria can influence food flavor. The study opens the door to future research on how microbes could be used to develop new coffee flavors and other fermented foods. The research was published in the journal Scientific Reports.